Bridge to Self Reliance 2000 refugees San Diego CA

"What is it like to begin life in a new country when you do not know the language?" I asked.  "You feel very lonely, when you can't understand or be part of what is going on."   "Especially when you are afraid - and you are always afraid when you don't understand."  "You do not know what will happen to you, or why.  And someone always talks loudly and seems to be angry.   That brings back memories of terrible things that happened long ago."  There was no hestitation as the words spilled from our outreach workers, who had felt first-hand the distress of the clients they had helped, and the sense of empowerment they had been able to convey.  

Mostly what is needed is a translation from just one language to another.   Even in those cases, for the transfer of all the needed information, it takes an interpreter who can explain expectations, such as that parents will be at teacher-parent interviews at their child's school; or concepts like "jay-walking" that are completely foreign to our clients.  As new families arrive with new dialects or sometimes completely new languages, or sometimes have never been to school,  or have members with severe disabilities, the task of interpreting for them is much more complicated.

On Tuesday January 19th our outreach worker took an Iraqi family to their citizenship interview.  None of them has ever been to school, and none can read or write.  Katherine filled in the application forms, with their help, explaining each section carefully.   The son who has a hearing problem, was called first.  He spoke Arabic and Katherine translated for him.  The daughter who cannot speak, uses a wheel chair, and does not know sign language, was next.  The mother went with her.   The immigration officer "spoke" only American Sign Language. Translator 1 translated his questions into English. Translator 2 asked the mother each question in Arabic. The mother answered in Arabic and the response went back through the same translators to the Immigration Officer.  The interview took a considerable amount of time.   While this is the most extreme case we have encountered, it illustrates how complicated the interfaces can be between the refugees who get referred to us, because they have needs beyond the usual ones that are easily provided for.   

Your help is what makes it possible for us to make sure that the refugees we serve can get transport and support so they can reach the right office and successfully take the right steps to reach their full potential. Thank you for all you've  done for us. Please let your friends know why you chose to support us, and encourage them to join our team.